Onward to 2025 - FirstShowing Remains a Fully Independent Film Site

"No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world." Heading into the year 2025, this marks the 19th year of FirstShowing.net – we originally launched this website way back in 2006. It's a miracle that it's still running all these years later – almost two decades. There've been so many times when I've wanted to throw in the towel, shut things down, and move on. But I still love movies. I still love cinema. I'm still happy (for the most part) being able to participate in this world and stay excited about watching new movies (and old movies) and talk about movies and keep everyone informed & updated about movies. It's harder than ever to remain an independent website in this day-and-age. So many other movie sites have shut down or been sold off recently. It's too hard and too costly, there's too many risks, and the internet has changed in so many bad ways (see: enshittification). I want to continue to keep "Hollywood connected with its audience" and will do my best to keep FS running for as long as I can. Even if I don't make much money. // Continue Reading ›

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Behind-the-Scenes Looks at 'Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl'

"We problem-solve ahead by story-boarding." A series of behind-the-scenes videos have arrived online for Aardman's latest animated movie Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. These promos are also a reminder that this delightful, nerdy, wacky comedy is now available on Netflix worldwide to watch anytime you want. It's a blast! The "world's best boss" – Feathers McGraw – is back with a vengeance. 🐧 A brand new epic Wallace & Gromit family adventure from Aaardman, this is the first full length W&G feature film in 19 years since BAFTA & Academy Award-winning The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. When Wallace invents a "smart gnome" it seems to develop a mind of its own and go haywire with evil A.I. programming. When it emerges that a vengeful figure from the past might be masterminding things, it falls to Gromit to battle the sinister forces. With the voices of Ben Whitehead (who gets his own video below), Peter Kay, Lauren Patel, Reece Shearsmith, Diane Morgan, Adjoa Andoh, Muzz Khan, and Lenny Henry. I always enjoy seeing making of video about stop-motion animation, it's impressive every time. Especially seeing how much work goes into hand-crafting literally every single part of the film - including even deciding where the camera goes, what the lighting & animation will look like for every last character, and everything else. Enjoy. // Continue Reading ›

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First Teaser for 'Devour' Indie Practical FX Gory Werewolf Horror Film

Get a load of this! An early promo teaser has debuted for an indie film called Devour, a horror thriller from filmmaker Scott B. Hansen. Following up on last year's Werewolves movie which also has full-on practical werewolves and extreme gore, this one continues with more practical FX and intense violence. A struggling all female metal band called "The Virginia Bitches" have a taste for blood and while on tour their van breaks down in the middle of nowhere. Seeking help they come across a town full of cannibals led by an infamous Warlock. So it's a mix of vampires, werewolves, and cannibals? The movie was shot at Digital Thunderdome Studios in Atlanta, GA. Special effects Titan Wayne Anderson (Jurassic World, IT, The Predator) built all the creature suits with a heavy focus on practical effects from Kevin Meaux and Oliver Kasiske from OX FX. This stars Gaven Wilde, Katelyn Newberry, Heidi Shepherd, Gus Langley, John Wells, Chelsea Lesage, & Alexandra Lucchessi. Horror fans should definitely keep an eye out for the film later in 2025. // Continue Reading ›

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Watch: Horror Comedy Short Film 'Meat Puppet' with David Jonsson

"The boy is out of the box." 📦 You've never seen anything like this film before! A hilarious new short film is finally online after playing at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival last year. Meat Puppet is a hilarious comedy short film created by a British-Greek filmmaker named Eros V. The film won the Audience Award at SXSW and played at a bunch of other festivals and is now online to watch. It's a knock out! On the day he promised his girlfriend he'd grow up, a man-child inadvertently traps himself inside a puppet. How will he get back to his old fleshy meat bag self?! Meat Puppet stars David Jonsson (the super talented young actor seen in Alien: Romulus and Rye Lane) along with Máiréad Tyers and Gregg Chilingirian. This concept is crazy to begin with, but it's executed in just the right way to be super funny and exceptionally awkward, which is not easy to pull off. The puppet is also real - created and puppeted by Hugh Purves. Just click on play below. // Continue Reading ›

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True Story Wrestling Film 'Unstoppable' Trailer #2 with Jharrel Jerome

"We can't choose when to be great. We can only hope to be great when it counts." Prime Video has debuted one more official trailer for the sports movie Unstoppable, telling the inspiring true story of one-legged wrestler Anthony Robles. This premiered at the 2024 Toronto Film Festival last fall, and it'll be ready for streaming on Prime Video in a more few weeks this January. Starring Jharrel Jerome (seen in Moonlight, "When They See Us", "I'm a Virgo") as Anthony Robles in another outstanding performance - one of my fave actors. Unstoppable is both an irresistible sports drama and a family story full of heart. In wrestling and the locker room, he has to convince his two tough coaches (Michael Peña and Don Cheadle) that his grit and potential are real. At home, he contends with an outspoken and loving mother going through some growing up of her own. Along with Jerome, the cast includes Bobby Cannavale, Michael Peña, the real Anthony Robles, Don Cheadle, and Jennifer Lopez as his mother. This looks generic but also properly inspiring. // Continue Reading ›

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One Extra Trailer for Andrea Arnold's 'Bird' with Keoghan & Rogowski

"What d'you mean you don't care about my dream?" Here's another extra trailer for the sweet little indie film called Bird, the latest feature written and directed by the award-winning filmmaker Andrea Arnold (of Red Road, Fish Tank, American Honey, Cow). Mubi already released this in the fall last year (here's the first trailer) and this second trailer is a reminder that it's also streaming on the Mubi app to watch anytime. It first premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. Bailey lives with her brother Hunter and her father Bug, who raises them alone in a squat in northern Kent. Bug doesn't have much time to devote to them. So Bailey looks for attention and adventure elsewhere, meeting a strange man named "Bird" with whom she builds a connection with. A tender, striking, distinctly surprising coming-of-age fable from acclaimed auteur Andrea Arnold, starring Barry Keoghan, Franz Rogowski, + newcomer Nykiya Adams as Bailey. You want to see something original? Watch this. Maybe not one of the best films of 2024, but still a good one to discover. // Continue Reading ›

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Fun First Trailer for 'Fight or Flight' Action Comedy with Josh Hartnett

"What is going on?! Who's killing who?" An early promo trailer is now out for an action comedy film called Fight or Flight, featuring Josh Hartnett in yet another lead role after Trap last year. Strangely this has no US release date set yet - despite opening in Germany already and other countries soon. The concept involves Hartnett fighting an entire airplane full of assassins. A mercenary takes on the job of tracking down a target on a plane but must protect her when they're surrounded by people trying to kill both of them. Starring Josh Hartnett, Katee Sackhoff, Charithra Chandran, Julian Kostov, Marko Zaror. Josh Hartnett explains this: "I've got a film coming out called Fight or Flight, where I do my own stunts. I'm 46. I was 45 when I shot it. It's different from when you're in your 20s... We had a very long shot in that film where I am fighting an enormous amount of bad guys on a plane, in a close-counter environment, and using things off the plane to fight them... I found that to be the toughest physical thing I've ever had to do." Sounds like tons of fun. Check out the first look footage below - we'll update with US release info whenever they're available. // Continue Reading ›

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Kristen Stewart & Steven Yeun in 'Love Me' Sci-Fi Romance Full Trailer

"What does it feel like to be alive?" 🛰 "Have you ever considered how impossible it is that we found each other? Bleecker Street has revealed an official trailer for the indie sci-fi romance creation titled Love Me. This initially premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival last year to mixed reactions - I'm a big fan of the film, or at least what it's trying to say and teach us about identity. Long after humanity's extinction, a buoy and a satellite inherit the Earth, and with only the internet as their guide, learn what it means to be alive and in love. In this first feature from Sam & Andy Zuchero, Love Me explores AI and identity through live-action, animatronics, and classic animation in an epic tale of connection and transformation. "We wanted to make a movie that would make you feel big and small at the same time... It's the story of two completely new beings — the A.I. in two machines — who evolve into virtual avatars and then into flesh & blood humans." Starring Kristen Stewart as the buoy and Steven Yeun as the satellite. Here is my full review if you're curious to know why I dig it as a story about how social media isn't really that good for our identities. Enjoy. // Continue Reading ›

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Magic Mushroom Animated Series 'Common Side Effects' Trailer #2

"Does this stuff even work? Is it just a trick? Where – even – are you?!" 🍄 Adult Swim has debuted a funky second trailer for the psychedelic & crazy new animated series called Common Side Effects, arriving for streaming in February 2025 in just one month. The series first premiered at the Annecy Film Festival and was also unveiled at SDCC last year - available to watch soon. It's sort of a follow-up to incredible animated sci-fi series Scavengers Reign (on Netflix now) as one of the makers of that also helped co-create this. The show follows two high school friends, Marshall and Frances, who reconnect and discover a new kind of drug ("a rare mushroom") that can allegedly cure all disease. BUt they also uncover a conspiracy involving big pharma and the government to suppress all knowledge of said drug. With the voices of Dave King, Emily Pendergast, Joseph Lee Anderson, Martha Kelly, and the legendary Mike Judge as a shitty pharma CEO. This is a much better trailer than the other one last year - more hallucinogenic and fascinating and exciting. It's all about taking down big pharma but – does this shroom really work? I'm curious to find out... // Continue Reading ›

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Intense Trailer #2 for 'Flight Risk' Plane Survival Thriller with Wahlberg

"See the movie that's so intense you don't watch it, you experience it." Lionsgate has unveiled the second trailer for Flight Risk, a survival thriller set on a small airplane flying over Alaska. This was supposed to open in theaters in October last year, but they delayed it - now it arrives in theaters nationwide at the end of January. In this high-stakes suspense thriller, a private pilot transports an Air Marshal taking a fugitive to a trial. As they fly across the Alaskan wilderness, tensions soar and trust is tested, as not everyone on board is who they seem. Flight Risk stars Mark Wahlberg, Topher Grace, and Michelle Dockery. It's directed by Mel Gibson, but they're trying not to mention his name much. This second trailer is way more intense but also shows more of the movie - including what happens and how they continue on after the reveal of Wahlberg being the bad guy. His receding hairline is the funniest thing about this - Wahlberg looks like he's having a great time with this nasty role. Might be entertaining enough - this looks like one harrowing flight. // Continue Reading ›

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Looking Back: Little White Lies' '30 Best Films of 2024' Video Recap

"We're about to go into the deep end of the pool here... This is serious..." Another look back at some indie gems and other cinema highlights from 2024. The esteemed film magazine called Little White Lies from the UK has revealed their official list of their the 30 Best Films of 2024. In addition to their article (a list created by all of their writers together) they've also published an excellent countdown video of all 30 films as well. Their picks are based on UK release dates, so they include a handful of big 2023 films including The Zone of Interest, The Iron Claw, The Taste of Things (so good!), and La Chimera (already my #1 last year). They also highlight many other top notch 2024 favorites including The Brutalist, Nickel Boys, Hard Truths, Challengers, Hit Man, Close Your Eyes, Furiosa, Juror #2, and Kneecap. The editing in the first portion of this video is fabulous - mashing up a bunch of films in a fun segment. Glad to see Hit Man on their list, too. // Continue Reading ›

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One More Super Violent Trailer for Peter Berg's 'American Primeval'

"Do you feel bad, killing men?" "Not the bad ones..." Netflix has revealed one more official trailer for their violent new western series American Primeval, from filmmaker Peter Berg and writer / producer Mark L. Smith. It's about the gritty & adventurous exploration of the birth of the American West - and how violent it was back then. This intense, brutal series with 6 episodes launches streaming on Netflix on January 9th to kick off the New Year. American Primeval stars Taylor Kitsch, Betty Gilpin, Dane DeHaan, Saura Lightfoot-Leon, Derek Hinkey, Joe Tippett, Jai Courtney, Preston Mota, Shawnee Pourier, and Shea Whigham. Julie O'Keefe is the Indigenous Cultural Consultant and Project Advisor. Netflix describes it further as: "This is America…1857. Up is down, pain is everywhere, innocence and tranquility are losing the battle to hatred and fear." Berg's "American Primeval is a fictionalized dramatization & examination of the violent collision of culture, religion, and community as men and women fight and die to keep or control this land." This trailer packs in tons of violence in 60 seconds as a promo for this new series streaming soon. // Continue Reading ›

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